A Girl Like YouA Girl Like You by Maria Geraci

A Girl Like You by Maria Geraci

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


Goodreads: What if you found out you were the ugly friend?

Emma Frazier is smart, hardworking, and loves her job as a journalist for a Florida lifestyle magazine. Emma knows she’s no great beauty, but she’s pretty certain she has a shot with her handsome new boss, Ben Gallagher—until Emma overhears a mutual acquaintance refer to her as the “ugly friend.” In an effort to reclaim her battered self-esteem, Emma decides to impress Ben at work by promising an exclusive interview with NASCAR legend, Trip Monroe.

Emma and Trip went to high school together and although it’s been fourteen years since they’ve spoken, Emma is certain she can score an interview with the elusive super star. But connecting with Trip turns out to be harder than Emma imagined. Her quest for the interview leads her back to her tiny hometown of Catfish Cove, where old secrets and a new romantic interest shake up Emma’s views on life and teach her that maybe the key to finding true love is as simple as accepting yourself for the person you were always meant to be.


My thoughts: A Girl Like You is a quick, fun read with the most important elements for a girl like me; excellent character development and humor. You know those little moments you catalog in your brain but don't articulate the moment? Geraci does it and it's fun to see.

Emma is a small town girl who happens to carry a few pounds more than her skinny friends. It's never really bothered her much until she overhears someone with few social graces mention that she's the "ugly friend." The book tells a story that meanders quite a bit but my interest didn't meander. I just kept reading and enjoying it. I finally understood how it tied together but I won't tell you that part. I will say that what Geraci accomplishes is writing a believable story with flawed, wonderful and real characters that often react to previous experiences and overheard conversations rather than enjoying the moment.

I loved every character. Especially the most flawed of them. My favorite scene is where Emma leaves one character at the end of a dock, with his hands pushed into his pockets, looking thoughtfully out to the distance like a Nicholas Sparks novel. Cracked. Me. Up.

Fun read. Perfect summer escape


*I received a free copy of this book from publishing company in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.